Experts of Light

At Select Collection Spa we now feature the exclusive spa brand Valmont. People ask me "what is so special about these products?"

Valmont started as a medical brand to repair damaged skin and mastered the secrets of producing new healthy cells. Now focusing on beauty and rejuvenation, Valmont uses the latest technology to transport minerals from Swiss glacial water and protein into cells deep in the skin.

The proteins become collagen to make our skin resilient, glowing and young(er).

This might sound like a chemistry lesson … but in fact these secrets are very interesting and educational – and we needed our expert trainer from Switzerland Anne Launer to explain more in detail.

Therefore we arranged a Valmont event in our beautiful office. 

Learning about products that make the skin glow

Anne told us about the secret of Valmont; how ALL their products work as anti-ageing, from toners and cleansers to creams, serums and masks. Just choose the right products for your specific skin type – whether you need to focus on dry skin, oily skin, fine lines, lifting results etc.

The new line promoted last week in Stockholm is truly innovating – in Expert of Light series Valmont has added zinc which has an amazing brightening effect. This works to create an even toned and glowing skin. The results are spectacular: beautiful skins with a natural, healthy look. Valmont has also developed a new treatment called Brightness of Ice using only Expert of Light products.  

More about our spa and Valmont at the bottom of this blog. But first some nice pictures of our special evening.

From Select Collection Nathalie Meyer and Anna Ingelson

Lucky winner of the luxurious Brightness of Ice treatment Annette Rosencreutz

Wonderful champagne from Diebolt Vallois

Canapes with Swiss cheese for the occasion and Swedish specialities like Skagen

With Josephine Palmquist, Kajsa Gatenbeck and Hanna Hjämerhag

Our Fredrik Ljung surrounded by lovely ladies Gunvor Engström and Kanthi Beck

Preparing Clarifying Pack samples on hands to work their magic during our Valmont Presentation

We are proud to be the only spa in the Northern region to feature Valmont treatments and products. Their philosophy goes hand in hand with ours; to be exclusive in the way that clients need thorough consultation in order to obtain the best results (whether it means choice of travel destination and experience, or the right way to take care of your skin and looks …). Therefore Valmont products are not sold in duty free shops etc. As we do at Select, for the choice of Valmont at our Stockholm Day Spa, it has been Personally Inspected and Carefully Selected!

Note: Valmont has different lines for different age groups, and within each line products for different skin types. This makes the product selection vast and comprehensive, but you will need help and consultation to find the right products.

Great tip: Next time you come to plan your holiday to the sun with us – make sure to also try the Valmont sun care products. As with all Valmont products – they work on anti-ageing at the same time as they protect your skin. And since they produce new healthy cells during your hours at the beach, the tan will also stay longer … reminding you of your relaxing days long after you come back! 

Launching our Collection

Our grand launch of the new luscious Select Collection brochure – the climax of a year of intense work. 

Select Collection 2014-2016
featuring my choice of the world's best resorts

A road show representing some of our wonderful Select Collection resorts began at the Grand Hôtel in Stockholm on Monday, then moved on to Finland, Stavanger (tonight), Oslo (tomorrow).

A good way to start a sparkling evening

In Stockholm we kicked off with champagne, and a workshop where our 320 guests could meet the hotel representatives. Then we moved to the Grand Hôtel’s historical Winter Garden for a 3-course dinner and entertainment by Måns Zelmerlöw. 

Nice smile from Narelle McDougall at the dinner  -
representing Anantara at the Road Show

Måns in action

In the Winter Garden

One highlight of the evening was the delivery of our new brochure to all the tables, accompanied by sparklers to suit the glamour of our publication, which is a fashion statement as well as a guide on the best places to stay worldwide. 

Another highlight was the auction of fabulous luxury holidays in paradise locations. "Haute Couture Holidays"

Måns presents Niclas Forsman the auctioneer
- auctioning luxury holidays

Successful bidding won Marie Klingspor & Henrik Ekberg
 a stay at the Crusoe paradise Soneva Fushi, and
nights in urban luxury at The Arch London.
It was his birthday and Select arranged a cake for him

All the money went to Hand in Hand. Our guest speaker was industrial magnate Percy Barnevik, who explained how Hand in Hand never gave charity but enabled people to pull themselves out of poverty by creating small businesses and ways of being self sufficient. Each business brings a whole family out of poverty.

With Percy Barnevik after his powerful speech

At the auction in Stockholm SEK 406000 was brought in, all of which will go to Hand in Hand.

In my speech I explained:

“You always have to give when you receive, and therefore it is part of my long-term future visions and challenges to help, to an even greater extent, poor and vulnerable people. Percy Barnevik and Hand in Hand are a great inspiration to me.”

Perfection in Paris

Select Collection is an important partner of Four Seasons as the immaculate service and elegance of this hotel chain is so perfect for our customers. I was among the tour operators invited to a special weekend event at Four Seasons George V in Paris last week. It was an occasion to enjoy the special Four Seasons  touch - silken luxury, divine food, inspiring people.

With our host Jean-Pierre Soutric
Vice President & Corporate Travel Agency Sales, Europe

Just off the Champs Elysees in designer-crowded avenue George V, this hotel is a real charmer with aesthetic style and grace. Its flower arrangements are always divine. And they really know how to lay on an elegant party.

Here Åke and I are with Audrey Patrelle
from the Paris Worldwide Sales Office

Art in the lobby - art everywhere

And flowers

And more flowers

And more

... and more everywhere

Along with tasty food carried in style

The invitation stated:

Every two years we take the time to meet our best European clients in recognition of your continuous support of Four Seasons. 

...

In recognition of your continuous support of Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts
Christopher Norton, President Hotel Operations, Europe / Middle East / Africa cordially invites you and your partner to join us for a weekend at Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris 

Four Seasons representatives included:
Regional Vice Presidents and General Managers from :
Four Seasons Hotel Baku, Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace Budapest, Four Seasons Hotels UK Collection, Four Seasons Hotel Dublin,
Four Seasons Hotel Doha, Four Seasons Hotel Firenze, Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues Geneva, Four Seasons Hotels Istanbul,
Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon, Four Seasons Resort Mauritius at Anahita, Four Seasons Hotel New York, Four Seasons Hotel George V,
Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills, Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh at Kingdom Center, Four Seasons Resort Seychelles, Four Seasons Resort Sharm el Sheikh, Four Seasons Hotel Lion Palace at St Petersbug, Four Seasons Hotel Westcliff Johannesburg, Four Seasons Hotel Moscow.

For a little bit more about the wonderful Four Seasons George V and the art of showering romance see my last last blog...

Into the warmth

This is the time of year when staff meetings bring much needed warmth and good cheer. I have just met with my team from the Select Collection office in Finland for business with pleasure. The venue was a fashionable meeting place, the grillroom at Teatteri.

Happily together at Teatteri

 There we ate really well – including a starter of grilled scampi – “the best ever” my staff declared.  

Best ever...

Other courses included whitefish, lamb or beef – all really good and perfectly prepared.

Back at the office, my team in action again and ready to craft perfect holidays for their customers. Here are two of them …

Marita Aarnio

Arja Laukkarinen

The office in Helsinki has a central location at street level on fashionable Bulevardi, and is much admired for the lovely atmosphere and design, creating the mood to travel…

Items picked up in my travels

Exotic, inviting....

Welcome in to our lovely offices in Helsinki, Stockholm, Oslo, Stavanger and London to discuss how to get out of the cold and dark, and into the light and warmth,,,

Yachting not cruising

Yesterday we invited guests to our Stavanger office to present small ship cruising with SeaDream. This is yachting not cruising as SeaDream would say.

Our office in wet and windy Stavanger -
a perfect place for warmer sea dreams

SeaDream is a Norwegian company with two mega yachts, SeaDream I and SeaDream II. They take no more than 112 guests, sail to places larger ships can't go, and are the only cruise line to have a watersports marina with jet skis and other fun activities.

Jannicke, sales director at SeaDream
bringing warm sea dreams to life

Gourmet meals, wine and Champagne are all included in the rate. A cruise with SeaDream starts from approximately 22 000 NOK per person for 7 nights and will vary with season, destination and chosen accommodation.



 

Screen set up and givewaway bags

 

Guests coming in from the cold to our warmth

Office manager Petra in action

Interacting with our valued guests

Appropriately delicious

Jannicke presenting SeaDream to our guests

Comfortably seated for the
inspiring presentation

 

The beautiful miniature of SeaDream in our
office window to keep the Dream alive...

Tapas and Top Luxury

We had a lovely evening at Restaurant Coba  in Stockholm, hosted by one of my favourite resorts One&Only The Palm - a top luxury hideaway in Dubai. It was a chance to mingle with some of my valued customers, to sip great wines and taste tapas with a scintillating difference, created by the chefs of this classy little Mexican restaurant.

The evening sets off downstairs at Coba in Birger jarlsgatan

Select consultants chatting to
their special customers
at the bar in Coba



Enjoying meeting Select clients and hotel partners 



Our One&Only Frauke Hinrichs getting ready
to address us, with Max

Then finally we all had the pleasure of listening to the inspiring words of Frauke, who is Account Director Leisure Sales at One&Only Resorts, Atlantis & Mazagan Beach Resort.

Frauke creating One&Only magic

Taking us on a One&Only journey...

Frauke took us to from Mauritius and Cape Town to Mexico and the Caribbean. Not to forget the ravishing One&Only Reethi Rah in the Maldives.

And back to Dubai, our much loved One&Only Royal Mirage; and One&Only The Palm resting quietly at the tip of one of the fronds of the famous Palm Island.

 

One&Only The Palm
Classy boutique hotel and haven - tucked away with pool and beach
and yet with views of the amazing urban skyline

Back in restaurant Coba....

 

Tapas with tastes to explode in the mouth

 

 

Socializing after wonderful words and fabulous tapas

 

Well pleased - our product manager Neil

 And finally the man behind this fabulous little restaurant...

My son Jonatan, founder and
manager of Coba